The course will provide an introduction to the post-war political and social history of Central Europe from the establishment of the Communist regimes until the present, with a special emphasis on the case of Poland. The aim of the course is to explore the nature and impact of Communist dictatorship and the process of transformation to democracy taking place since 1989. The course will focus on the political, economic and social dimensions of this transition.

The course will provide an introduction to the post-war political and social history of Eastern Europe from the establishment of the Communist regime until the present. The aim of the course is to explore and explain the nature of communist dictatorship, its impact on Eastern European societies, and the process of transformation toward democracy taking place since 1989. The course will analyze the complexity of the present situation in the region and the prospects for future development of the European Union. It will be illustrated by fragments of documentaries and feature films.